Power up your staffing model with patient acuity.

The article presents a study describing nursing workload, patient acuity, and length of stay (LOS) and their relationship through a case study of Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital (SRH) in Boston, Massachusetts. Changes in patient profile were investigated during two periods, between July 2002 and September 2006, and between October 2006 and September 2008. During the study, a 10% or more increase was observed in the categories of close observation, cardiovascular/neurologic management, information/instructional needs, educational needs/lifestyle change, and coping support. It also shows that patients admitted to SRH need intense nursing care.